Mycobacteria are a large, diverse, and widely distributed family of aerobic, nonsporulating, nonmotile bacilli that have a high cell-wall lipid content and a slow growth rate. Members of the Mycobacterium genus vary tremendously in virulence. Some Mycobacteria are harmless while others like M. tuberculosis are significant pathogens. Mycobacterium species are differentiated by their growth rate, pigment production, animal virulence, and biochemical reactivity.
Many detection methods for determining the presence of pathogenic organisms such as those in the Mycobacteriaceae family relay on the lysis of those organisms. However, the lysis procedures for Mycobacteriaceae are laborious and time consuming. For example, chemical disruption of Mycobacteria is tedious and can take days. European Patent Application number 87 303641.2 discloses a method for releasing DNA or RNA from Mycobacteria which comprises the use of minute beads in combination with a sonicating bath. S. Hurley et al., J. Clin Microbiol. 25:2227 (1987) disclose a method for lysing mycobacteria that uses a mini-beadbeater cell disrupter and zirconium beads.
Recent advances in mycobacterial genetics and increased interest in opportunistic pathogens in patients like those suffering from acquired immunodeficiency syndrome have focused attention to the fact that a procedure for rapid lysis of Mycobacteriaceae is needed. It would be advantageous to have a process for lysing Mycobacteria that is simple, fast, and not disruptive to the material desired from the lysis.